Jennifer Franko Vasquez of South Abington Twp. was among six graduates of Indiana University of Pennsylvania honored with the 2012 Young Alumni Achievement Award. A 2001 summa cum laude graduate of IUP with a bachelor's degree in mathematics, Jennifer is an assistant professor of mathematics at the University of Scranton. While at IUP, she was a student in the Robert E. Cook Honors College, a provost scholar, peer mentor, supplemental instruction leader, orientation leader and Reading Is Fundamental volunteer. She received a Tony Kuczinski Memorial Scholarship and an Arthur G. Morrell Memorial Scholarship, both in mathematics. Jennifer was a member of the international honor society Kappa Delta Pi, the Kappa Mu Epsilon mathematics honor society, Mortar Board national senior honor society and Phi Eta Sigma national honor society, for which she was a vice president and chairwoman. An active member of the Association for Women in Mathematics and the Mathematical Association of America, Jennifer received a Project New Experiences in Teaching fellowship in 2007, Inspiring Leadership Award from Indiana University in 2006, a Rothrock Teaching Award for associate instructors from Indiana University in 2005 and a research assistantship to work on topological quantum computing from 2002-2007. She also has co-written four professional publications. She completed her master's degree in mathematics in 2003 and her doctoral degree in mathematics in 2007, both at Indiana University Bloomington.

High notes

The Philanthropic Educational Organization Chapter AO-CA of Clarks Summit members Sandy Corselius, Donna Kepler, president, and Gertrude Myer, presented a program for continuing education grant to Amanda Faux. The program affords academically eligible single mothers an opportunity to attend college while living on campus with their children. Amanda is a participant in the Women with Children Program at Miscericordia University. ... Society of Irish Women executive board members, including Alice McDermott, Melinda Ghilardi, Mellisa Glucksnis, Patty Jones, Courene Loftus, Silvia Passeri, Ann Marie Renda, Kate Schneider and Cathy Wechsler, are helping plan the 15th annual St. Patrick's Day dinner for Saturday, March 16, at the Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple.

- TERRY BONIFANTI

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